MEDIA RELATIONS UNIT

December 11, 2010
10-122

San Francisco D.U.I. Warrant Operations Increase in December;

Police Offer Help in Clearing Warrants

Police in San Francisco are stepping up their DUI warrant operations in December before and during the Avoid the 8 winter crackdown on impaired drivers, which starts Friday, Dec. 17, and runs for 17 days until Jan. 2.

Judges issue warrants when the convicted DUI offender fails to comply with court orders, including completing traffic school, paying a fine or serving jail or community service time and becomes a fugitive from justice.

SFPD Officer Bill Garcia, who is in charge of the warrants operation, can help drivers who think or know that they have a warrant related to their DUI get through the protocol for clearing the warrants.

“The alternative to taking care of your warrant on your own schedule is being arrested and seeing your car towed away when you’re pulled over by the police or facing us at your front door or place of business when we come to take you to jail,” said Garcia.

“Just call (415) 553-7944 and leave a message. I’ll research the warrant and call you to walk you through the process,” he stated.

SFPD and Garcia keep up the pressure all year long. Totals of cleared traffic warrants, most for DUI, have soared from 118 in 2005 to 738 so far this year. Garcia sends letters to those who have warrants; these have increased from 146 in 2005 to 2027 so far in 2010, said SFPD Traffic Capt. Al Casciato.

The California Office of Traffic Safety funds Avoid the 8 through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For further information, contact:
Jan Ford, Public Information
Avoid the 8-Law Enforcement in San Francisco
(650) 322-9121
Cell: (650) 269-2148